Dispensing closure with bonded spout seal

ABSTRACT

The disclosed invention pertains to dispensing closures having a closure body and a spout rotatably mounted on the body. In such a structure the spout is capable of being rotated between a closed position in which its base engages the closure body around an opening leading through the body so as to close off the opening and an open position in which a passage leading through the spout is aligned with the opening in the closure body. In a closure as disclosed a physical bond or seal connects the base of the spout and the closure body around the opening when the spout is in an initial closed position. When the spout is first moved to an open position this bond or seal is disrupted or broken.

United States Patent La Vange [54] DISPENSING CLOSURE WITH BONDED SPOUTSEAL [72] Inventor: Donald H. La Vange, Uxbridge, Mass.

[73] Assignee: Polytop Corporatlon, Slatersville, R1.

[22] Filed: June 22, 1970 [21] Appl. No: 48,094

3,461,014 8/1969 James.... 156/272 3,227,330 1/1966 Sadler ...222/54l X3,318,487 5/1967 Edwards ..222/54l X [4 1 May 2,1972

3,318,494 5/1967 Porter et a1. ..222/541 X Primary Examiner-Robert B.Reeves Assistant E.raminer-Frederick R. Handren Anorney-Edward D. OBrianABSTRACT The disclosed invention pertains to dispensing closures havinga closure body and a spout rotatably mounted on the body. ln such astructure the spout is capable of being rotated between a closedposition in which its base engages the closure body around an openingleading through the body so as to close off the opening and an openposition in which a passage leading through the spout is aligned withthe opening in the closure body. ln a closure as disclosed a physicalbond or seal connects the base of the spout and the closure body aroundthe opening when the spout is in an initial closed position. When thespout is first moved to an open position this bond or seal is disruptedor broken.

6 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures The term dispensing closure is normallyutilized to designate a closure having a spout rotatably mounted on aclosure body so that the spout can be rotated between opened and closedpositions. In such a closure in a closed position a base of the spoutengages the closure body around an opening. In such an open position thebase of the spout engages the closure body around the opening, but apassage in the spout is in alignment with the opening so that materialcan move through the opening and the spout.

Dispensing closures as herein indicated may be formed in a number ofdifferent manners. Such closures are indicated in the Wilson et a1. U.S.Pat. No. 2,793,795 and the Mart U.S. Pat. No. 2,828,895. Normally theseclosures are constructed to be utilized as bottle caps on knowncontainers. If desired they can be formed so that the closure bodieswithin them are integral with a container wall. Closures of this typeare normally formed out of a flexible, resilient material such aspolyethylene so that their parts may be snapped together after beingseparately manufactured. They may, however, be formed out of othermaterials such as polyproplyene or the like.

One problem which has been encountered with dispensing closures asindicated is the problem of leakage through such closures prior to theirinitial use. Such leakage will result in a customer of a package closedwith such a closure not receiving the intended quantity of merchandise.Such initial leakage is different from the leakage which is apt to occurduring the use of a dispensing closure primarily in point of time. Inthe past, all leakage in the closures of this type have been combatedthrough the use of sealing rings or the like. The use of such sealingrings is not considered adequate in combating initial leakage withclosures used in various hard-to-seal fluids, although unquestionablysuch sealing rings or the like are effective.

As a result of the recognition of the problem of the initial leakageprior to customer use of a dispensing closure on a con tainer severaldifferent proposals have been made. In general such proposals haveinvolved forming a member extending across the opening in the closurebody and breaking OK or otherwise disrupting such a member during theinitial use of a closure. Expedients of this type are considered to havemerit. However, with them there is danger of disrupting or breaking themember during closure assembly. Also, frequently with this type ofstructure it is considered that the disrupted member may tend tointerfere with normal use of the closure after it has been opened forthe first time.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An objective of the present invention is toprovide new and improved dispensing closures, and more specificallyclosures with the spout bonded to the closure body by a frangible bondor seal capable of being easily broken at the initial time thedispensing closure is opened. A related objective of the presentinvention is to provide dispensing closures as indicated which may bemanufactured at a comparatively nominal cost. A further objective of theinvention is to provide closures of the type described which cansatisfactorily seal against leakage even after they have been initiallyopened. A still further objective of the invention is to provideclosures as indicated which are of such a character that they willoperate satisfactorily after initially being opened without interferenceby broken parts or the like.

In accordance with this invention these objectives are achieved byforming a bond or seal between the base of a spout in a dispensingclosure and the position of the body of such a closure immediatelyaround the opening in the closure used to exhaust material through theclosure body. Preferably such a bond or seal is formed on or with aflexible, resilient sealing ring located on the closure body around theopening and is of such a nature that when it is initially broken that itdoes not thereafter significantly interfere with or effect the operationof the sealing ring.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING The invention is best more fullyexplained with reference to the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a presently preferred embodiment ofa dispensing closure of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the closure shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken at line 3-3 of FIG. 2;and

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken at line 4-4 of FIG. 3.

The dispensing closure illustrated in the drawing is of a type asdescribed in the aforenoted Wilson et al. U.S. Pat. No. 2,793,795. Froma consideration of this specification it will be realized that theessential features or principles of this invention can be embodiedwithin other differently appearing and constructed dispensing closuresthrough the use or exercise of routine engineering skill or ability.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The closure 10illustrated is constructed generally as indicated in the noted Wilson eta1. U.S. Pat. No. 2,793,795 so as to include a body part 12 and a spout14. These parts may be conveniently formed separately out ofpolyethylene or other known related, flexible, somewhat resilientmaterials. The body part 12 includes a top 16 carrying an internallythreaded dependent skirt 18 used in attaching the closure 10 to acontainer. The top 16 carries a dependent sealing ring 20 used informing a seal with the neck of such a container. This top 16 alsoincludes a centrally opening or dispensing opening 22 leading throughthe top 16 into a centrally located cavity 24. Preferably the top 16includes a integral, resilient, flexible, deformable sealing ring 26around the opening extending upwardly into this cavity 24. The sealingring 26 used is preferably constructed as shown in the Akers U.S. Pat.No. 3,495,745 issued Feb. 17, 1970 entitled Sealing Structures." Othersealing rings of a similar or related character may be used.

In the closure 10 the top 16 carries restricted entrances 28 intobearing openings 30 so that aligned shafts or trunnions 32 on the spout16 may be snapped through these entrances 28 into the openings 30 so asto be rotatably held by them. These trunnions 32 extend from acylindrical base 34 on the spout 14. This base 34 fits against thesealing ring 26 so as to form a seal therewith at all times. Thus, sucha seal is formed when the spout 14 is in a closed position as shown inthe various figures of the drawing as well as when the spout 14 is in anopen position in which it extends vertically from the top 16. In such anopen position a passage 36 in the spout 14 is located in alignment withthe opening 22. In the closed position the spout l4 fits generallywithin a slot 38 in the top 16 leading from the cavity 24.

The present invention'does not directly concern the structure of theclosure 10 described in the preceding portions of this specification. Itdoes, however, concern the base 34 of the spout 14 being bonded by aplastic to plastic weld or seal when the spout 14 is in an initialclosed position as shown in the drawing. Such a bond or seal is createdat a thin layer 40 containing ferromagnetic material located on the base34 opposite the sealing ring 26. This layer 40 is contacted by thesealing ring 26 with moderate pressure in the same manner that thesealing ring 26 would contact the base 34 if the layer 40 were notpresent.

This layer 40 preferably is of about the thickness of a thin sheet ofpaper such as onion skin or thin bond typing paper and contains finallydivided ferromagnetic particles, preferably 325 mesh particles. Althoughsuch particles may be iron, preferably they are of a known ferromagneticferrite composition. This is because ferrite particles are less reactivethen iron particles and are therefore less apt to cause contamination,staining or the like. The layer 40 should contain enough other materialwhich is compatible in forming a bond or weld with the body part 12 andthe spout 14 to hold these particles in place.

If desired the layer 40 may be a separate sheet of polyethylene or thelike extruded or calandered as a film so as to contain as high aproportion of ferromagnetic particles as possible. This layer may be ametalized layer of ferromagnetic material. Because of the nature of sucha layer it may be considered as a particle layer. Preferably, however,because of convenience this layer 40 is of a paint-like character and ismerely applied to the portion of the base 34 as shown prior to the spout14 being assembled on the body part 12. The general type of compositionwhich may be used so as to form such a paint-like coating is indicatedin the James US. Pat. No. 3,461,014 issued Aug. 12, 1969 entitledMagnetic Induction Method for Heat-Sealing and Bonding PredeterminedSealing Areas. if desired such a composition as is used in forming thelayer 40 may be located directly on the exposed surface of the sealingring 26, although this is not preferred with the invention because of aproblem of a sharp edge of the sealing ring 26 not holding" adequateferromagnetic material for satisfactory scaling in the area of contactbetween the sealing ring 26 and the base 34.

In the manufacture of the closure it is assembled as a conventionalpractice with the layer 40 in position as shown then this closure issubjected for a short period to magnetic induction heating as in theaforenoted James US. Pat. No. 3,461 ,0l4. Such induction heating will befor a time sufficient to cause heat to be generated in the area of theferromagnetic particles utilized, and for this heat through interactionwith pressure exerted by the sealing ring 26 to cause the formation of aheat seal or weld type bond between the base 34 of the spout l4 and thesealing ring 26. This sea] area will extend completely around theopening 22 so as to completely seal off or close this opening.

The closure 10 will normally be installed on a container after it hasbeen assembled and heated in this manner. When so installed this bondedarea will present an initial resistance to the spout 14 being rotated toan open position. This will tend to prevent accidential opening.However, the spout 14 will still be able to be opened or rotated to anopen position by the application of moderate force as the spout 14 isopened in this manner, the bond or seal will break or frange. Thereafterthe sealing ring 26 will function in nearly its normal manner so as toform a seal with the base 34 as the spout 14 is located in open andclosed positions and is rotated between these posi tions. With thisstructure the bond or sea] created initially acts as a true seal toprevent leakage.

I claim:

1. In a dispensing closure having a closure body and a spout movablymounted on said body, said closure body contains an opening leadingbetween it's sides, said spout having a base overlying said opening anda passage leading through said base and said spout, said spout beingcapable of being moved between a closed position in which said baseengages said closure body around said opening so as to close off saidopening and an open position in which said base engages said closurebody around said opening in which said passage is aligned with saidopening, the improvement which comprises:

a bond type seal uniting said base to said closure body and extendingbetween said base and said closure body completely around said openingwhen said spout is in an initial closed position,

said spout having an extremity remote from said base capable of beingengaged so as to rotate said spout,

said bond type seal being capable of being broken by rotation of saidspout the first time said spout is rotated from a closed position to anopen position.

2. A dispensing closure as claimed in claim 1 including:

ferromagnetic particles located between said base and said closure bodyin the area of said bone type seal.

3. A dispensing closure as claimed in claim 2 wherein:

said ferromagnetic particles are ferrite particles. 4. A dispensingclosure as claimed in claim 1 wherein:

said base of said spout is formed as a surface of revolution,

said closure body includes a resilient sealing ring formed integrallytherewith around said opening, said sealing ring engaging said base whensaid spout is in said open and closed positions so as to form a sealwith said base,

said bond type seal is formed between the extremity of said sealing ringremote from said opening and said base of said spout prior to saidclosure being initially opened.

5. A dispensing closure as claimed in claim 4 including:

ferromagnetic particles located between said sealing ring and said basein the area of said bond type seal.

6. A dispensing closure as claimed in claim 5 wherein:

said ferromagnetic particles are ferrite particles.

1. In a dispensing closure having a closure body and a spout movablymounted on said body, said closure body contains an opening leadingbetween it''s sides, said spout having a base overlying said opening anda passage leading through said base and said spout, said spout beingcapable of being moved between a closed position in which said baseengages said closure body around said opening so as to close off saidopening and an open position in which said base engages said closurebody around said opening in which said passage is aligned with saidopening, the improvement which comprises: a bond type seal uniting saidbase to said closure body and extending between said base and saidclosure body completely around said opening when said spout is in aninitial closed position, said spout having an extremity remote from saidbase capable of being engaged so as to rotate said spout, said bond typeseal being capable of being broken by rotation of said spout the firsttime said spout is rotated from a closed position to an open position.2. A dispensing closure as claimed in claim 1 including: ferromagneticparticles located between said base and said closure body in the area ofsaid bone type seal.
 3. A dispensing closure as claimed in claim 2wherein: said ferromagnetic particles are ferrite particles.
 4. Adispensing closure as claimed in claim 1 wherein: said base of saidspout is formed as a surface of revolution, said closure body includes aresilient sealing ring formed integrally therewith around said opening,said sealing ring engaging said base when said spout is in said open andclosed positions so as to form a seal with said base, said bond typeseal is formed between the extremity of said sealing ring remote fromsaid opening and said base of said spout prior to said closure beinginitially opened.
 5. A dispensing closure as claimed in claim 4including: ferromagnetic particles located between said sealing ring andsaid base in the area of said bond type seal.
 6. A dispensing closure asclaimed in claim 5 wherein: said ferromagnetic particles are ferriteparticles.